Newcastle's Croatian international playmaker Silvio Maric has been transferred to Portuguese giants FC Porto on a five-year deal, the sports daily A Bola reported Wednesday.

The transfer fee for the 25-year-old midfielder was not revealed although Maric arrived at St James' Park from Croatia Zagreb in a 3.5 million pound ($5.7 million) deal in February 1999.

Arriving following the mid-season break in Croatia, he lacked match fitness, and was used sparingly by former manager Ruud Gullit, rarely starting or completing a game as he struggled to adapt to the pace and style of the Premiership – (AFP)